Green ears of corn dried by the fire - Green or half-ripe ears of wheat parched with fire is a species of food in use among the poor people of Palestine and Egypt to the present day. As God is represented as keeping a table among his people, (for the tabernacle was his house, where he had the golden table, shewbread, etc)., so he represents himself as partaking with them of all the aliments that were in use, and even sitting down with the poor to a repast on parched corn! We have already seen that these green ears were presented as a sort of eucharistical offering for the blessings of seed time, and the prospect of a plentiful harvest. See Clarke's note on Leviticus 2:1; several other examples might be added here, but they are not necessary. The command to offer salt with every oblation, and which was punctually observed by the Jews, will afford the pious reader some profitable reflections. It is well known that salt has two grand properties.

1. It seasons and renders palatable the principal ailments used for the support of life.

2. It prevents putrefaction and decay.

The covenant of God, that is, his agreement with his people, is called a covenant of salt, to denote as we have seen above, its stable undecaying nature, as well as to point out its importance and utility in the preservation of the life of the soul. The grace of God by Christ Jesus is represented under the emblem of salt, (see Mark 9:49; Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 4:6), because of its relishing, nourishing, and preserving quality. Without it no offering, no sacrifice, no religious service, no work even of charity and mercy, can be acceptable in the sight of God. In all things we must come unto the Father Through Him. And from none of our sacrifices or services must this salt of the covenant of our God be lacking.

a meat offering. These first fruits seem to have been the voluntary oblation brought by individuals, of the finest ears of corn out of the field, before the harvest was ripe.

Leviticus 22:29 And when you will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, offer it at your own will.

Leviticus 23:10,14-17,20 Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, When you be come into the land which I give to you...

Genesis 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to the LORD.

Numbers 28:2 Command the children of Israel, and say to them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet smell to me...

Deuteronomy 26:2 That you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which you shall bring of your land that the LORD your God gives you...

Proverbs 3:9,10 Honor the LORD with your substance, and with the first fruits of all your increase...

Isaiah 53:2-10 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness...

Malachi 1:11 For from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles...

1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.

Revelation 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb wherever he goes...

corn beaten

2 Kings 4:42 And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley...